An artist impression of the Sofitel So Auckland in New Zealand. For Escape travel news. For Escape travel news. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

The exterior of the new hotel. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

AUCKLAND will welcome the Pacific region's first Sofitel So designer hotel in two years.

Sofitel Luxury Hotels plans to spend about $NZ50 million ($A44 million) to develop the hotel in the New Zealand city in 2015. The 133-room hotel will be housed in the former New Zealand Reserve Bank in the CBD, one street back from the harbour and a five-minute walk to the Auckland Viaduct entertainment precinct.

It will have a lobby lounge bar, rooftop restaurant, a pool and a day spa and gym in the old bank vault.

Each So has its own atmosphere created by high-profile names from the world of fashion, the arts or design.

The design connection for the Auckland hotel is still under negotiation.

Other hotels in the boutique portfolio are in Mauritius and Bangkok, while other projects are under way in Singapore, Mumbai and Rio.

A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites.